Edward w



PATEN T OFFICE.

vIEDTIARD lL NEWELL, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

Application filed May 17, 1918. Serial No. 235,156.

To all whom/it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. NEWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsbur h,\in the county of Allegheny and State ofg Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Signal Devices for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relaties to a signal device adapted for use on motor vehicles to indicate when the vehicle is about to stop, slow down, or turn to the right or left.

e principal object of my invention is to provide an improved device of the above character.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a ace view of a signal device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 a horizontal section on Fig. 1; Fig-3 tical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 a rear view of the intermediate slide; Fig.- 6 a side elevation thereof'; Fig. 7 a rear view of one of the side slides; Fig. 8 a plan view thereofand Fig. 9 a `wiring diagram .of the As shown in the drawing. the construction ma comprise a casing 1 having vertical Wa ls 2 dividing the interior of the casing into three compartments. Secured to the face of the casing is a cover plate 3, having stencil openings in vertical alinement with the intermediate compartments and adapted to form the word Stop, and stencil openings in vertical alinement with cach of the side compartments and adapted to form an arrow head, one pointing to the right and the other to the left.

Within the central or intermediate compartment there is mounted an elect-ric solenoid 4 having an armature 5 and Secured to the outer end of the armature is a block 6 of `nsulating material.

slide 7 having openings 8 is adapted to be operated by the solenoid l, for which pur-- pose, the slide is provided with ears 9 havlng,1r slots 10 into which the block 6 extends. The slide 7 is adapted to 'move vertically so tliat the openings 8 therein can be shifted into and out of registry with the letters of the word Stop, as formed in the cover plate 3. l

A glass window 11 yis secured to the casing l and adjacent to and rearwardly of the slide 7, while a colorless glass window 12 is tened to the cover plate in front ot slide i.

the rear` ot the casing is a which is mounted a fixed contact 14, adapted to be insulated from said member by means of a soft rubber sleeve 15 and a liber washer 16. A contact 17 is mounted to slide between the member 13 and a portion of the casing 1 and is adapted to engage the contact 14.

Electric lamps 18 are mounted within the intermediate compartment of the casing above and below the solenoid 4.

In each of the side compartments of casing there is mounted a solenoid 19 having at its outer end a block 21 of non-conducting material, and secured to the armature, above the block 21 is a slide 22 adapted to move vertically between a red glass window 23, mounted in the casing l, and a colorless glass window 2l, mounted in the cover plate 3.

A member 25 is secured to the casing l and extends into an opening,r at the rear of the casing for supporting a fixed contact 2G, which is insulated from said member by a soft rubber sleeve 2i' and a liber washer 28. A contact 29, adapted to engage the contact 26, is mounted to slide vertically between the member 25 and a portion of the casimgr 1. In the slide 22 arcopenings 30 adapted to register with corresponding openings ir the cover plate An electric lamp 31 is mounted in each of the side compartments, above the solenoid 19.

n Fig. 9 a wiringdian'ram is shown of thc circuits for the mechanism in the intormediatc compartment, and it will he undcrstood that the cir nits for the mechanisms in the side compartments are arranged in a similar manner.

As shown in Fig. 9,` the electric lamps 18 are connected in a circuit including,r a source of current 32. Another circuit includingr the solenoid Jr and the source ot' current 32 is controlled by theA contacts 1l and 17. A switch 33 is provided which ma)- have three positions. one in which the lamp and the solenoid cirruits auI energized, another in ,A les which only the lam a third in which gized.

For si nalin in the day time, the outer faces of t ie sli es 7 and 22 are painted white and in operation, during the day time, if it is desired to stop or slow down, a switch 34 in the lamp circuit being opened, so as to cut out the lamps, the switch 33 is moved to the position for energizing the solenoid circuit as shown in Fig. 9.

Gravity normally operates to hold the slide 7 in its lower position, in which the openings 8 register with the word Stop in the cover plate, but with the solenoid circuit closed at the switch 33, the contacts 14 and 17 being now in engagement, the solenoid 4 is energized, so as to pull the armature upwardly, causin the movement of slide 7 to bring the white face of the slide into re istry with the openings iii the cover late, t us rendering the word Stop visile to individuals in the vicinity of the vehicle. As the armature 5 approaches the end of4 its upward stroke, the block 6 engages an arm 35- of the contact member 17 and thus moves the contact out of engagement with the fixed contact 14.

The circuit of the solenoid 4 is therefore opened and gravity then acts to cause the downward movement ofthearinature 5 and the slide 7 so that the openin with the openings in the cover p ate, rendering the word Stop practically invisible at a distance. Near the end of its downward stroke, the armature block 6 engages the contact 17 and moves same so as to engage contact 14 and thus closethe solenoid circuit. The energization of solenoid 4 then causes the upward movement of the slide 7, as before described.

The word Stop flashes in white, so as to of persons to be warned, about to stop.

circuit is energized, and oth circuits are denerthus intermittently attract the attention that the vehicle is For night signaling, the switch 34 is closed, so that upon moving the switch 33 its osition for closing the solenoid circuit, the am circuit is also closed.

It wi l now be seen that the solenoid will 8 register o erate as described in connection with dayi light signaling to eiect the u and down movement of slide 7, but in t is case .the iight from the electric bulbs 1e Stmas through the red glass window 11 and when the openngsnin the slide register with the o nings iii-fthe cover plate 3, the word top" will be intermittently li ht to strongly attract attention.

f the vehicle is left Istanding it may be desired to permit the word Stop to remain visible as a warning that the vehicle' is stopped, and for this purpose, the s witch $3 ma be turned to its second position, in which the solenoid circuit is opened, but in flashed in red 4 imanes which the light circuit remains energized, so that since slide is maintained in its lower position with the o enings 8 registering with the o enings in t e cover late, the word Stop will show in red lig t continuously. In a similar manner, the circuits for the si nal devices for ndicatng the direction in w ich the vehicle is about to turn are controlled by the movement of a switch, the arrow-head at the left being Vrendered visible either by showing white in the day time, or red at ni ht, if the vehicle is about to turn to the le t, and similarly with the arrow-head at the right, when the vehicle is about to turn to the right.

arranged openings, the movement of parts necessary to effect the signaling is reduced, being equal to the Widthof an aperture in the cover plate. The device can thus be made very compact and of comparatively small size.

Furthermore, the same openings being used both for day and for ni ht signaling, also effects a considerable retiction in the size of the device.

If desired, the gravity down stroke of each solenoid armature may he made uniform by providing a dash pot adapted to operate only on the down stro e for yieldinglyr resisting the movement. v

A soft rubber cushion 36 ma be interposed between the upper endo each solenoid and the stop lug 37 or cushioning the upward stroke, the downward stroke being cushioned by the soft rubber sleeves 15 and 27. Y

It will also he evident that the. dashing light efettv may -be produced without the use of the slide ci controlling the l lit circuit by-the switc which contmls t noid circuit.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by 'Letters Patent', is:

1. In a motor vehicle signal device, the

combination with a casing provided with signal forming apertures, of a slide having openings adapted to register with the casing apertures Sfor night signalin and surfaces visible in the daytime and a pted to register with the casing apertures for daytime signaling. v

'2. In a motor vehicle signal device, the combination with a casoisx having a plurality of verticalslly disp signal forming apertures, of a ide having corresponding openings adapted to register 'withl said apertures in one position of the slide and having surfaces visi le in daytime and adapted to register'with said apertures in another position of the slide. l 3. In n, motor vehiclesignal device, the combination. with a casing rovided with'. signal forming aperture, o ,a slide having .80 By employing slides having alternately,`

2 aperture in one'position of t Q e'eiide and hav- Vpartition of the slide'fnnxi a sign n ing a face visible in the daytime and adapted to register with said aperture in another ai lamp in the casing for lighting the registering aperture land opening at night.

4. In emot/o1*V vehice signal device, the combination with aV-casin having a signal forming aperture, of a sli e for opening and closing said aperture, an electric soenoid havin an armature for operating said slide, a fixe contact, and a movaale contact cooperating with the iixed contact and 0E- erated by said solenoid for alternately ma in? and breaking the circuit through the so enoid upon a predetermined movement of the solenold.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto eet my hand.

EDWARD W. NEWELL. 

